By Carter B. Horsley
The June 9, 2011 Antiquities auction at Christie's New York is
highlighted by several wonderful small, several-thousand-year-old
works, some very nice Egyptian works and many marble and bronze Roman
Imperial works.

The auction's stars are some terribly cute and very early pieces such
as Lot 12, a steatite Mesopootamian panther, circa Late 4th-Early 3rd
Millennium B.C. It is 4 3/4 inches high. Seated on
its haunches, the panther is ornamented with crescent-shaped
white limestoe inlays indicating fur and the eyes have lapis lazuli
pupils. It has an estimate of $150,000 to $250,000. It sold for $182,500 including
the buyer's premium as do all results mentioned in this article.

Of the 202 offered
lots, 141, or 70 percent, sold for a total of $10,353,125.

Lot 57 is a Late Vinca
Neolithic Period, circa 5th Millennium terracotta figure that is 6 3/8
inches high. is fascinatingly stylish. The figure has a
triangular head with a rounded crown and a pointed chin and
crescent-shaped eyes and vertical lines on the face, pierced ears,
extended stump arms with two perforations each, a V-neck garment and a
skirt with incised vertial pleats. It has a modest estimate
of $30,000 to $50,000. It
sold for $80,500.

Lot
20 is a very nice, Syrian copper seated figure, 8 1/4 inches high,
Middle Bronze Age, circa early 2nd Millennium B.C. It has an
estimate of $35,000 to $45,000. The clenched hands
likely once held attributes, with some traces of silver overlay.
It is missing inlaid eyes. It sold for $40,000.

Lot 22 is a good Canaanite bronze warrior figure, 5
inches high, from the Middle Bronze Age II, circa 1700-1500 B.C.
It has an estimate of $20,000 to $30,000. It sold for $25,000.

Lot 19 is a Bactrian black
chlorite seated female figure with white stone arms and a white stone
head. It is 5 3/8 inches high and is dated circa Late
3rd-Early 2nd Millennium B.C. The lot has a modest estimate
of $70,000 to $90,0o00. It
sold for $68,500.

Lot 10 is a wonderful
Bactrian copper axe head, circa Late 3rd/Early 2nd Millennium B.C.
It is 6 1/4 inches high and its shaft is surmounted by a
reclining goat with raised horns curving at their tips. It
has a modest estimate of $6,000 to $8,000. It sold for $18,750.

Lot
14 is a great steatite Mesopotamian spectacle idol from Syria, circa
3000-2500 B.C. It is 5 7/8 inches high with a highly
decorated base. It has an estimate of $25,000 to $35,000. It sold for $40,000..

Lot
61 is a lovely Egyptian bronze cat from the Third Intermediate Period
to Late Period, Dynasty XXII-XXVI, 945-525 B.C. It is 11 1/8
inches high and has an estimate of $70,000 to $90,000. It sold for $146,500.

Lot
56 is an excellent Egyptian bronze figure of a kneeling pharaoh from
the Late Period, Dynasty XXX-XXXI, 380-332 B.C. It is 6
inches high and has an estimate of $80,000 to $120,000. It sold for $158,500.

Lot 44 is an impressive
Egyptian granite head of an official, New Kingdom, Late
Dynasty XVIII, circa 1400-1390 B.C. It is 6 3/4 inches high
and has an estimate of $300,000 to $500,000. It sold for $422,500.

Lot 38 is an impressive
Egyptian reccia jar for Sen-Nekhan(1), First Intermediate Period to
Middle Kingdom, 2134-1640 B.C. It is 8 3/4 inches
high and was once in the collection of David David-Weill of
Neuilly-sur-Seine, France. It has an estimate of
$50,000 to $80,000.
It sold for $110,500.

Lot 189 is perhaps the most
desirable antiquity in the auction because it is a complete, Roman
bronze sculpture of a right hand in a "thumbs up"
position with a fair amount of encrustation. It comes from
the 2nd-3rd Century A.D. and is 8 1/4 inches long. It has a modest
estimate of $25,000 to $35,000. It sold for $68,500.
.

Lot 153 is a very impressive
Roman marble of Pan and a Hermaphrodite, circa 1st Century A.D.
It is 41 4/8 inches high and is known as the de Clercq Pan
& Hermaphrodite Group. It was once in the collection
of Louis de Clercq (1836-1901) of Paris. Only one other
similar group is known and it is a much restored sculpture with a
completely different composition now at the Uffizi. It has an
"estimate of request." It
failed to sell.

Lot
184 is a very impressive and very fine Roman marble head of Hercules.
It is circa 2nd Century A.D., and is 16 1/4 inches high.
It is in very fine condition and has an estimate of $200,000
to $300,000. It
sold for $194,500.

Lot 152 is a very impressive
small bronze head of Hercules. It is Roman, circa 1st
Century A.D., and 4 3/8 inches high. The finely
sculpted head was once part of a full figure and is modelled on
Hercules of Lysippos, best known from the version in Naples.
It has an estimate of $30,000 to $50,000. It sold for $140,500.

Lot 167 is a marvelous chrome
chalcedony sculpture of an enthroed male. It is Roman circa
Late 1st-2nd Century A.D. It is 4 1/8 inches high.
It has an estimate of $400,000 to $600,000. It sold for $$434,500.

The cover illustration of the
catalogue is Lot 161, a Roman marble head of Apollo from
circa Late 1st-Early 2nd Century A.D. It is 15 1/8 inches
high and was once in the collection of Thomas Herbert, 8th Earl of
Pembroke (1654-1732) at Wilton House in Wilsthire. This is a version of
the Anzio Apollo of which there are about 20 Roman copies and it takes
its name from an example now in the Palazzo Massimo in Rome. It has an
estimate of $200,000 to $300,000. It sold for $902,500.

Lot
112 is a fabulous East Greek silver spoon with a lion and horse handle
from the Late Classical to Hellenistic Period, circa 4th Century B.C.
It is 7 1/8 inches long. It has a very modest
estimate of $10,000 to $15,000. It
sold for $25,000.

Lot
171 is a very fine Roman bronze of Hercules from circa 2nd Century A.D.
It is 5 1/16 inches high. The Nemean lionskin is
draped over his bent left arm surmounted byh the infant Telepos.
It has a modest estimate of $8,000 to $12,000. It sold for $8,125.

Lot 173 is a fine Roman
bronze statue of Jupiter holding a twisted lightning bolt that is 4 7/8
inches high. It is dated circa 2nd Century A.D. It
has an estimate of $12,000 to $18,000. It failed to sell.

Lot
151 is a superb Roman bronze figure of Apollo that is 7 1/4 inches high
and from circa 1st Century A.D. It has an estimate of $20,000
to $30,000. It
failed to sell.

Lot
155, 3 busts, Roman, bronze, largest 4 3/4 inches high

Lot
155 is an extremely charming and lovely group of three bronze Roman
busts from circa the 1st-2nd Century A.D. The
largest is 4 3/4 inches high. The lot has an estimate of
$35,000 to $45,000. It
failed to sell.

Lot 108 is a very striking
Greek bronze helmet of the Phrygian type, Late Classical to Early
Hellenistic Period, circa 350-300 B.C. It is 16 1/2 inches
high with attached highly detailed face guards. It has a
modest estimate of $80,000 to $120,000. It sold for $170,500.